Here is Scarlet Scuttlebutt correspondent Steve Williamson’s take on the game:

WASHINGTON — The referee’s whistle blew and as Georgetown lined up to shoot free throws, C. Vivian Stringer put her hands behind her head and stared at the floor.

The look on her face spoke volumes.

But after Rutgers’ latest game, a 59-50 loss to No. 17 Georgetown Saturday, a frustrated Stringer did all the talking — for the first time this season, players were not available for comment.

“I can’t feel bad enough for us,” Stringer said on her team’s play after the loss. “It has to be each person, individually, that has to feel bad enough to make a difference. This was a crucial game, there’s no question about that.”

Senior guard Brittany Ray, the team’s leading scorer this season, finished with only three points — all from the free throw line — for the second straight game. Ray was held scoreless in the first half and did not convert a single field goal despite 10 shot attempts.

“(Her shooting) hasn’t been there, has it?” Stringer said. “For the last three or four games, has it? I don’t know what it is.”

With Ray absent on the stat sheet for the second straight game, it was again up to sophomore guard Khadijah Rushdan to shoulder the load.

Rushdan finished the game with 18 points, six rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists.

Despite taking a hard blow to the head in the first half, Rushdan continued her aggressive style of play, diving for loose balls and crashing the board.

With under nine minutes to play, Rushdan forcefully pulled down a rebound, leapt over a fallen Hoya and banked in a leaner off the glass.

“(Rushdan) played with aggressiveness and she played with a spirited fight inside of her,” Stringer said. “I think that other people could have but they just didn’t do it as well.”

But as has often been the case this season, the Knights could not get out of their own way. Rutgers committed 24 turnovers and 24 fouls — leading to a combined 38 points for Georgetown.

Rutgers always seemed to be one step behind. A heads-up play resulted in an errant pass out of bounds by sophomore forward Chelsey Lee. A quick steal by sophomore guard Nikki Speed transformed into a turnover only seconds later.

(Whether it’s) missing layups or just negotiating a three-on-one break . . . I think we can recall a number of instances where it’s like “Wow, can you believe that,’ ” Stringer said.

Freshman guard Sugar Rodgers torched Rutgers for 27 points on 9 of 19 shooting. While Rodgers and the rest of the Hoyas’ offense was dormant in the first half, the team exploded in the second, shooting 55 percent from the floor.

With five minutes left to play in the game, Stringer dialed up the 55 press.

The pressure threw off the Hoyas, who turned the ball over five quick times, allowing Rutgers to go on a 9-3 run.

A 3-pointer from sophomore guard Nikki Speed brought the Knights within nine points, marking the smallest advantage by Georgetown since the beginning of the second half. But with Rutgers in foul trouble, a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer by Monica McNutt helped the Hoyas refortify their lead and put the game away for good.

Rodgers drained back-to-back 3-pointers to open the half, pushing Georgetown to a 27-18 advantage.

Rutgers never recovered.

Rushdan scored 10 points in the first half on 4 of 5 shooting and added three rebounds, but suffered a scare in the final minutes in the period.